A Wuxia Tale: Blade in Training

A Hellish First Hour

"No slouching, no tardiness, don't smile at me, you creepy bastard!" The officer slapped the face of the man smiling at him with the thin board. Not that hard but still, it's enough to humiliate someone.

"You with the horse," I stood straighter when I noticed him pointing at me. "Is that your wife? Why is that horse with you?"

I look at Gentleman who turned his eyes on me as well. I smiled at Gentleman, "He is my brother, Sir." I answered.

The officer snickered, "Your brother? Why? Is your mother a horse? Have we finally met a centaur?" He asked the crowd lined up for him. He smacked the board on the shoulder of another man, "Laugh! I told a joke! Laugh with me! Ha ha ha..."

People lined up laughed. I didn't. The officer walked closer to me. "Why is that horse your brother? I asked you, is your mother a horse?"

"My mother is dead, Sir." I said in an even tone. The officer was taken aback for a moment before his arrogant demeanor came back.

"From giving birth to a horse?" The officer smirked at me. People laughed again. I still cannot find anything amusing about what this officer is saying.

I have never met my mother but her death was never a laughing matter to me. I may not feel love for her, how can I when I never knew her, but I honor my mother in my heart and mind.

"From giving birth to me and my twin sister, yes." I said in an even tone. "She died of birth complication."

"Your horse is a she?" The officer crouch a little to peek on Gentle's underside.

"No, my horse is he. He is my brother because I grew up with him. I got him when I was only eight years old. I learned to ride on his back," I clarified. "My twin sister is human." I added in case there is still doubt.

"And why did you bring your horse here? We provide soldiers with horses in this base. We have plenty of horses here." The officer squinted his eyes on me.

"That is good to hear, Sir." I simply said. I don't want to argue with this officer about Gentleman. Gentleman is my horse, I will ride no other horse but him.

The officer smack my head using the stick on his hand. "What is good to hear, you insolent pup? How old are you?!" He started shouting at me.

I controlled my instinct to touch the place where he smacked me, "Fifteen summers, Sir."

"Fifteen?! Aren't you too young to be here? This is not a playground, boy! Tsk tsk," he clucked his tongue. "Your name?" He asked without looking at me. His focus was on the board in his hand and the list there.

"Wang Dao, Sir." I replied snappishly and loudly.

Everyone grew still around me. When I look around, even the two officers guarding the threshold was looking at me.

"Wang...Dao," the officer with the board and stick stared at me with renewed interest. "Any relation to General Wang?"

I anticipated this question. "Inside this base or outside this base, Sir?" I asked back.

"Inside this base," the officer said.

"He is my General and superior, Sir." I replied immediately.

"And outside of it?" The officer raised his left eyebrow at me.

I sighed inwardly, "He is...my sire, Sir. Wang Qing is my father, Sir."

"General Wang Qing!" The officer shouted at my face so hard his saliva hit my cheek. "You address my general properly, civilian, or I will beat you where you stand. General Wang Qing is a respected general, the highest ranking officer in this base. Here, General Wang Qing is a god. Do you understand?!" He barraged me with constant shouting I think I will turn deaf soon.

A god? Is that how they see my sire? How they treat him? Then I wonder how Baba remained grounded and humble with these people around him.

I nodded, "Outside of this base, General Wang Qing is my father, Sir!" I amended my answer.

"General Wang Qing's son..." a new voice entered the ground. The officer holding the stick and board groaned when another officer approach us.

"Captain Tzu," the officer with the board greeted the newcomer."

"Captain Ching," Captain Tzu greeted back. My eyes stared at Captain Ching. This loud, boisterous and abusive soldier is my training officer?

What?

"Ching, you are so lucky, you have the Wang boy on your team. My felicitations," Captain Tzu said. His tone and words  heavily laden with sarcasm.

"If you want him, come and take him." Captain Ching said in a bored tone. "I don't like General Wang riding my ass hard about training his son. This boy," Captain Ching smack my head again with the stick, "Will be a pain in my butthole. Take him." He even pushed me to Captain Tzu.

"I would love too...but I am already busy with my trainees," Captain Tzu said before he started calling out names. Five in all. "Come with me, I am your Captain and your training officer. Displease me and that will be your last act here on Earth. So for fuck's sake, don't displease me." Captain Tzu gave his new trainees a smile that doesn't reach his dark cold eyes. This one is not as loud as Captain Ching, but I think he will be a more hellish training officer.

"Have fun with the Wang boy, Ching." Captain Tzu winked at Captain Ching before leaving with his trainees."

"Fucking Tzu." Captain Ching mumbled darkly before facing me again. "You...get your horse on the stable and come back here, I will introduce you to my troops."

I blinked at him. Didn't know if he is being serious. But Captain Ching glared at me and shouted again. "MOVE! MOVE THAT ASS YOU SISSY BOY! MOVE!"

I scrambled to move and follow his order. I pulled at Gentleman's reins to take him out of the training ground. I asked the guarding officers where the stable is and rode Gentleman to get there.

I deposited Gentleman to the stable master who nodded when he learned my name. "We are already instructed about what to do with your horse, Soldier Wang. Go on now," the stable master shooed me away.

I bowed to him in respect and run back to look for Captain Ching. He is not on the training ground anymore. I was about to ask around for him when one special officer stepped in front of me.

"Master Rei," I halted and bow at a man ten years my senior. Master Rei is one of my Baba's aides. Baba's helper here in the base. A secretary of sort. Or an assistant secretary. An aide.

"Follow me, Soldier Wang. I will take you to your barracks." Master Rei told me formally before he walked away. I sighed, this is not what I was hoping for. With my Baba's aide leading me while other people and officers looking my way.

My first day in the military base is tough.

No...make that my first hour in the military base is already hellish.